When George Washington was born at the seldom visited and almost unknown Wakefield Farm in Virginia, the Indians had scarcely left the woods near his home.  As a youth, although bred in an environment of luxury and ease and refinement, he often chose the rugged life of hunters and Indians, climbing mountains, fording streams and fighting forest storms.  While still a young man, he led the Virginian troops against the French and later, in the War for Independence, he served as Commander-in-Chief for the United States forces.

At a time when he would have preferred to spend the remainder of his life in peace and quiet at his Mount Vernon home, he was unanimously elected President of this new nation.  Now he is hailed as the “Father of our Country” and we read of him as a man with admirable physical traits, a strange dignity of manner and a calm seriousness which compelled confidence.

*   *   *   *Twenty years after Washington took his oath of office as President of the U.S., Abraham Lincoln was born in a Kentucky log cabin.  Although schooling was limited, somehow he learned “readin’, writin’ and cipheren’, to the Rule of Three”.  He moved to Indiana about the time that state entered the Union and later, to New Salem, Illinois, where he tried to earn his living by farming, splitting rails, clerking or surveying, but always studying law and politics.

After waging a campaign of intense enthusiasm on the part of his friends in the North and intense bitterness on the part of his enemies in the South, he won the election as the Nation’s head.  When he entered the National capitol, the whole nation seethed with unrest, suspicion and secession.  Four years of Civil War followed.  And then, just as the Nation was rejoicing over the restored Union, came the mourning over the assassination of its leader.  Now we read of Lincoln’s intense humanity, his deep sympathy, his firmness for the right and his unswerving desire to do his duty to “preserve, protect and defend” the Union.

There are our Nation’s heroes!  Their birthdays are marked in red on our February calendars and this gives us occasion to reread the historical accounts of the lives of these men.  But we must look beyond!  And when we do, we no longer see these heroes, these men, but we see God.  We see God qualifying men, using men and destroying men in the realization of His own plan for the history of the world.

* * * * * * * *

RANDOLPH JUNIOR BIBLE CLUB

I am a reader of the “Beacon Lights”.  I read the articles which are written by the various contributors.  Amongst other articles that interested me and especially attracted my attention was the article written by Rev. Vermeer “Concerning Movies” on the Young People’s Convention.  Seeing I have not the opportunity to attend a Christian high school, I must attend the public school here in Randolph.  And because of this, I do see a great deal of movies, both educational and entertaining.  It is a fact that entertaining movies are more popular than the educational type of pictures.  This, of course, is to be expected in a public school.  Is it not so that sinful human nature will take the wide way and will disdain the narrow way as Christ portrays to us in Matt. 7:13, 14?

What I really had in mind in writing this letter for the Junior Journal was to acquaint Beacon Lights readers with our young and small, but prosperous organization here in Randolph.  As secretary of the Randolph Junior Bible Club, I was requested by the society to supply you with this information about our society.

We have in our constitution two articles which are not subject to change: articles two and three “The Basis of the Society” and “The Purpose of the Society”.  Six members are enrolled into our Society.  We may seem small, but Christ says in the Scriptures, “where two or three be gathered in my name, there I shall be in their midst.”

Before recess, we have Bible discussion.  At present we are studying the book of Judges.  On our after-recess programs, we have our business, after which a short program is sponsored by one or two members of the society.  We plan to have a book report, essays and debates on our after recess program.  If book reports are welcome, possibly a specimen of our work can be sent to the Junior Journal.

Miss Reitsma visited Randolph last fall and at that time she asked me to write.  I am sure she would enjoy it if other Junior Societies would inform us of their activities and Junior life.

Let’s keep the letters flowing into the Junior Journal.

Your Christian friend, Agatha Lubbers

Thank you, Agatha, for your interesting letter.  We are glad to hear that Randolph’s Junior Bible Club is so active and we certainly welcome all contributions you may wish to send in.  I hope all our Junior Societies follow your excellent example.  How about sending a picture of your society with your next contribution?    A.R.